Improvement in folding rules and squares



F. B. SCOTT.

Improvement in Folding Rui-e and Square.

N0.12f,222. Patented March 5.1872.

'UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANCIS B. SCOTT, OF LANCASTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND ALEXANDER D. PENFOLD, OF NEW YORK CITY.

IMPROVEMENT IN FOLDING RULES AND SQUARES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 124,222, dated March 5, 1372 antedated February 16, 1872.

SPECIFICATION.

I, FRANCIS B. SCOTT, of Lancaster, in tue county ot Erie, and Sta-te of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Combined Rule and Square, ot' which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to the construction of a jointed measuring-rule ot one, two, three, or a greater number of feet in length, as required, which can be readily converted into a rightangled triangle, so as to form a substitut-e for the ordinary carpenters square, wherehj7 the two instruments are combined in a single article, which can be compactly folded and readily carried in the pocket. My invention consists ot' a measuring-rule composed of three sections jointed together, the length of such sections being of the proportions ot' three, four, and ive, so that when the ends ot the rule are connected together it will forni a right-angled triangle.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure I represents the rule extended. Fig. II is a view at right angles to Fig. I. Fig. III shows the rule folded so as to form a right-angled triangle.

A A1A2 are the three sections of a one-foot rule, respectively three, four, and iive inches in length, and jointed together at a a, as shown, or in any other suitable manner. In the center line of the rule, at one end,is secured a projecting pin, b, while the other end is provided with two holes, c c, corresponding in size with the pin b, with which they are designed to en gage.

The pivots a being arranged in the center line ofthe rule, the holes e c at the end thereof are arranged so that when one or the other is e11- gaged with the pin b, (according to which way the rule is turned,) the center lines of the two end portions A A2 will intersect each other, as shown at d, Fig. III. The sections A Al A2 being oftheproportionate lengt-hs hereinbefore described, it is evident that the triangle formed by thus connecting the ends of the rule will be right-angled, and can be used as a substitute for the ordinary carpenters square. The combination ot' the two instruments in one that can be thus compactly folded and readily carried renders my improved instrument obviously of great convenience and import-ance for many uses.

I claim as my invention- The convertible measuring-rule and rightangled triangle hereinbet'ore described, composed of the jointed sections A Al A2, of the proportionate lengths of three, four, and five, and provided with pins b and hols c c, or their equivalent, for connecting the ends thereof, as hereinbeforc set forth.

F. B. SCOTT.

Witnesses:

JNO. J. BONNER, GEO. J. METZGER. 

